Monday, December 07, 2015

Dakotaraptor is a Chimera, "Wishbone" is Part of a TURTLE

Dakotaraptor steini is a recently described dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota. Included within the D. steini hypodigm are three elements originally identified as furculae: one which is part of the holotype specimen and two referred specimens. We show that the elements described as D. steini ‘furculae’ are not theropod dinosaur furculae, but rather trionychid turtle entoplastra. Given that the holotype 'furcula' is not referable to Dromaeosauridae and that the specimen is a disarticulated individual based on skeletal remains from a multitaxic bonebed, the holotype of Dakotaraptor steini is a chimera.